Chesco Dems meet for Tom Wolf, and he stops to thank them

Staff photo by Jim Callahan
Tom Wolf, the Democratic candidate for governor, chats with some supporters are an organizational meeting of Chester County Democrats Friday night at the West Whiteland Township Building.

WEST WHITELAND — The beach and ballgames are typical summertime activities for most people, but a bunch of Chester County Democrats had politics on their minds Friday night.

About 200 turned out at the township building for a seminar organized by the party to get tips on campaigning for Tom Wolf, their candidate for governor.

Wolf, and Mike Stack, the party candidate for lieutenant governor, also stopped by at the event organized by state Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th of West Whiteland, and party Chairman Brian McGinnis.

All were greeted outside by about 20 or 25 Republican picketers supporting Gov. Tom Corbett on the sidewalk, holding “Corbett for governor” signs.

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“It’s a nice night to picket against the policies that Mr. Wolf stands for — tax and spend,” said Joe Panas of Tredyffrin. “We are for smaller government.”

“We are here to oppose Tom Wolf. He has no plan for pension reform or to give us a budget,” said Jeff Glisson, a Republican committeeman from West Whiteland.

Dinniman told the Democrats inside they should welcome the Republican attention. Back when he started in Chester County politics in the 1970s, Republicans used to joke that you could fit a meeting of Chester County Democrats into a phone booth, he said.

Republican demonstrators showing up means Chester County Democrats have arrived and are respected, Dinniman said.

The state senator said he wanted “to thank” Chester County Republican Chairman Val DiGiorgio for the picketers. “When you go by them, don’t you feel more energized?” Dinniman asked the Democrats. “Don’t you want to get ’em more?”

The partisans laughed and roared.

The meeting was essentially a nuts-and-bolts organizing meeting among true believers rather than a rally to stoke up voters. Dinniman said he invited Wolf to stop by since he was already in Philadelphia for the day and would be on his way home to York.

Wolf was introduced informally and spoke off the cuff, thanking the workers for their organizing efforts, saying it was important to the campaign.

Wolf told the group that no matter what advertising campaign was utilized, whatever social media campaign was put together, nothing really compared to voters talking to someone they trusted. “What you are doing is really, really important. Don’t you forget that,” said Wolf.

He talked less about issues and more about how he appreciated their work for him as an exercise in democracy and in making the United States work. “There is some nobility in this,” he said.

When the candidate left the front of the room he probably spent the better part of 30 minutes in the lobby informally talking to people and letting them take his picture on cell phones.

Dinniman, Stack and other party leaders discussed organizing for the campaign ahead.

“I’ve won here,” said Dinniman. “We know that Democratic candidates in Chester County whether myself or (former Democratic governor) Ed Rendell can win by 16 percent. It is not like we are asking for something we can’t do. It’s been done.”

While the registration difference between Democrats and Republicans has shrunk over the past two decades, Dinniman said statistics showed Democrats in Chester County generally voted in lesser numbers than Republicans in many elections. The party needed to address that.

Also, the party faithful needed to learn to talk better about issues. “You can’t talk jargon to Chester County,” he explained. Dinniman said issues such as protecting the environment and promoting education resonated with local voters.